Can UV impact chaeto?

[lhuynh]

My chaeto was doing really great in the refugium. However, I had a dino issue (ID'd as ostreopsis a month ago) for months. I recently added a UV to combat and didn't black out the display but put lights at 50%. I did stop the automatic water change of 1.5 gallons a day. Tank holds about 160 gallons. I dose a little chaetogro that I've continued to do.

In 5 days, the chaeto is starting to melt. Any idea why this would happen?

Parameters measured this morning

.15 PO4
10 NO3
405 Ca
1400 Mg
9.2 kH

The other interesting thing is that the PO4, NO3, and kH have all increased by a decent chunk over the last week too (previous numbers .06-.08 PO4, 2-5 NO3, 8.4 kH)

 

[Ron Reefman]

I would guess your UV sterilizer is killing off small stuff that is then decaying and causing the increase.

As to why your chaeto is 'melting'... I have no clue.

 

[JosephM]

I don’t think it’s the UV but actually the dinos. Chaeto is a preferred house of dinos from my understanding. When I began to spot dinos, my chaeto that was once flourishing started to look bad. Couple weeks forward and I had to pull it out. Everything else had remained the same and I was dosing trace elements.

 

[lhuynh]

Hmm, I never heard that. There is definitely something going on, and I have no idea. Ultimately, I want the dinos controlled, and I can figure out the chaeto as needed.